REPORT. XXX1 
It might be objected to this view of the use of the second flagon that the 
size militated against it, as so little water is required for admixture in the 
chalice. To this I answer that the post-Reformation use of our leading 
bishops distinctly authorised the ceremonial ablution of the priest’s hands 
before the consecration at Holy Communion, and that the large water flagon 
would also be used for this purpose. This, too, explains the use of certain 
small basins, certainly not alms basins, not unfrequently met with in Church 
Plate of 17th century, and usually of pewter. Such is the basin of the 1629 
pewter set at Osmaston-by-Derby. 
The great increase in the size of the crewets or flagons, necessitated at the 
Reformation by the restoration of the cup to the laity—coupled with the fact 
that that was not the era for promoting the giving of our best to God—gave 
a great impetus to the general use of cheap pewter for flagons, and hence the 
use of that metal, in poor and despoiled churches, descended even to the 
chalice and paten. 
By the XX. Canon of 1603-4, the Churchwardens of every parish, against 
the time of every Communion, ‘‘shall provide . . . . a sufficient 
quantity . . . . of good wholesome wine, for the number of communi- 
cants that shall from time to time receive there, which wine we require to be 
brought to the Communion table in a clean and sweet standing pot or stoup of 
pewter, if not of purer metal.” 
The following are some of the numerous instances of the post-Reformation 
‘use of pewter in Derbyshire churches. At Quarndon, from the Terrier of 
1751, we find that a flagon, chalice, paten, salver, and plate, all of pewter, 
were in use. At Kirk Langley a pewter paten was used up to 1825. Ina 
Mackworth inventory of 1639, a pewter flagon is mentioned. The Wirksworth 
churchwarden accounts have the following entries :— 
“*¥662—Paid for a puter flagon for the communion table, 7s. 4d.” 
**1677—Disbursed by Mr. Archdeacon 6s. 9d. for a puter flagon.” 
The accounts of All Saints’, Derby, contain the following :— 
““Memorandum. That in ye month of April, An. 1679, Mr. George 
Smith, of this Parish of All Saints’, Pewterer, did give for ye use of ye 
Parishioners of this Parish of All Saints’, two large pewter Flaggons, and one 
Pewter Plate : To be used only at the Communion,” 
In “ An account of the materials belonging to the Communion Table at 
Taddington,” for the year 1695, mention is made, in addition to silver, of 
“one large Flaggon of pewter (which still remains), one pewter Bason, one 
large Leather Bottle.” This last entry, namely, of a leather bottle or jack, is, 
we should think, unique in the record of vessels pertaining to the Holy 
~ Communion. 
Even now pewter vessels may often be found in the vestries of churches of 
our county, though very rarely in use, except occasionally as alms plates. 
